ABU DHABI - Eng. Awaidha Murshed Al Marar, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Department of Energy (DoE), said that The COVID-19 pandemic brought the issue of sustainability front and centre.

This came in a recorded opening speech to the Renewable Energy International Finance and Cutting-Edge Technology Forum, which was held in Hefei in China’s Anhui Province on December 15, 2020.

Organised by the International Investment Alliance for Renewable Energy (IIARE), the event was held via a combination of online and offline methods, bringing together governments, energy research institutions, financial institutions, internationally renowned energy companies, and leading manufacturers – along with representative companies of Energy China, observer organisations, and advisory and member units of IIARE – to discuss global renewable energy development opportunities in the post-COVID-19 era.

"As countries around the world instituted lockdowns and restrictions on movement, prompting people to spend most of their time at home, demand for energy and water in households skyrocketed," Al Marar explained. "This underlined the need to find more sustainable sources to supply this energy and to increase renewable energy’s share of the energy mix." He went on to underline the importance of investing in renewable energy and sustainable resources. "Our natural resources are finite – and this is particularly true of fossil fuels," he stressed. "With that in mind, it is clear that ensuring the wellbeing of future generations calls for finding new and more sustainable resources and for directing investment into renewable energy projects."

Al Marar praised China’s notable progress on renewable energy projects, where the country accounted for nearly a quarter of all renewable energy investment around the world in 2019, reporting growth in hydropower, wind power, and solar power production.

The DoE Chairman assured the audience that the Emirate of Abu Dhabi was on a similar path, having set ambitious goals and action plans to diversify its energy sources, ensure sustainability, and establish itself as a world leader in the renewable energy sector. "This is in line with both the Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030 and the UAE Energy Strategy 2050," he asserted.

Al Marar cited a few prominent examples of Abu Dhabi’s clean energy projects, namely, the Al Dhafra project, which is set to be the largest solar plant on Earth once completed, and the Taweelah Reverse Osmosis (RO) Plant, the world’s largest RO desalination project.

"Abu Dhabi supports efforts to adopt renewable energy projects both in our own emirate and around the world," he affirmed in conclusion.

The Renewable Energy International Finance and Cutting-Edge Technology Forum aims to spark debate among industry experts on hotspot issues and trends of the renewable energy industry, including technology, financial products, and policies.

The event covers topics such as global renewable energy development opportunities in the post-COVID-19 era, trends and applications of renewable energy cutting-edge technologies, leveraging global green finance to support renewable energy, and integrating capital market and renewable energy.

 

© Copyright Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2020.